10 St. Albert the Great Quotes to Inspire Lukewarm Souls
In The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven, we find a wonderful treasure trove of St. Albert the Great quotes.
There is something about the cultivation of virtues, or at least the idea of striving to do so, that stirs up such excitement in my heart. After all, if we have nothing to strive for, how do we move towards holiness?
The Catechism of the Council of Trent speaks of the importance of growing in virtue, and produces an increase in justification:
Having, therefore, been thus justified, and made the friends and domestics of God, advancing from virtue to virtue, they are renewed, as the Apostle says, day by day; that is, by mortifying the members of their own flesh, and by presenting them as instruments of justice unto sanctification, they, through the observance of the commandments of God and of the Church, faith co-operating with good works, increase in that justice which they have received through the grace of Christ, and are still further justified, as it is written;
He that is just, let him be justified still; and again, Be not afraid to be justified even to death; and also, Do you see that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
And this increase of justification holy Church begs, when she prays, “Give unto us, O Lord, increase of faith, hope, and charity.”
The Catechism of the Council of Trent
So, should we not attempt to grow in virtue?
We absolutely have to grow in virtue. We absolutely have to seek union with God. Union with God involves doing God’s will and God’s will automatically encompasses virtue.
Below are St. Albert the Great quotes that will truly help you to grow in virtue. These quotes are mostly found in The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven.
Reading a few pages a day has really inspired me to strive for virtue, in a world, where it is becoming harder and harder.
It is hard, but it can be done with God’s help. Onward!
The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven.
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Amazing St. Albert the Great Quotes Help You Reach Heaven
- “An indication of insincere or improperly motivated confession is when a person confesses only for the sake of appearing to be faithful to the practice, or when he wishes to be seen as holy to others, or because of fear of the shame of being obliged to exclude himself from the reception of Holy Communion.” ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “Govern my heart O Lord, lest it drift into useless and disordered thoughts. Do not permit me to become excessively preoccupied with anything at all, even matters and concerns that are useful and good in themselves. Temper the affections of my soul so that I may neither love nor hate anything in a way that exceeds due proportions. Let me neither rejoice nor be saddened beyond the measure that is fitting and rational.” ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “Inner pride is revealed when a person places himself before others and expects to be placed before others, even though he may make an outward show of trying to please others, or may seem to wish to defer to others (especially those who are important or influential).” ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “There is a certain kind of holy sadness or compunction, that is regarded as a virtue. This is to feel pain in one’s heart for all the multitude of wrongs and injustices that our innocent Lord has sustained … The pain that arises in the heart of one who truly loves the Lord, and who considers deeply all that he has endured and suffered, ought to bring forth innumerable burning tears from his eyes and passionate sighs from the depths of his heart.”~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “Banish, therefore, from thy heart the distractions of earth and turn thine eyes to spiritual joys, that thou mayest learn at last to repose in the light of the contemplation of God.” ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “I have never gone out to mingle with the world without losing something of myself.” ~ St. Albert the Great
- “Above all one should accept everything, in general and individually, in oneself or in others, agreeable or disagreeable, with a prompt and confident spirit, as coming from the hand of his infallible Providence or the order he has arranged.” ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “Perfect chastity is not only to restrain the body from all acts of impurity but even to keep the soul pure from all lawful desires.” ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- “It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for “God is charity” (1 John 4:8).”~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
- The prudent person will carefully avoid everything that separates him from God or makes him become distant from his Supreme goodness. This includes venial sins, which distance the soul from God or separate it from him temporarily. ~St. Albert the Great, The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven
Want More Info on Cultivating Virtue?
See Also: The Battle of the Virtues and Vices: Defending the Interior Castle of the Soul, by Pope Leo IX
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More Resources on Cultivating Virtue
- The Paradise of the Soul: Forty-Two Virtues to Reach Heaven by St. Albert the Great
- The Battle of the Virtues and Vices: Defending the Interior Castle of the Soul, by Pope Leo IX
- Cultivating Virtue: Self-Mastery with the Saints
- The Virtue of Hope: How Confidence in God Can Lead You to Heaven
Do You Need Help Fighting Gluttony? Check out These 6 Remedies
This article was originally posted in 2019 and updated in 2020.
***Disclaimer: All views are my own and not that of the Order of Preachers.***
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